We were just south of San Felipe the last 2 weeks in June. This is typically our last trip of the year until mid-October, mostly due to the heat. Prior to that it was late February (before things took a turn). In between, there was just too much going on, too much unknown and too many rumors going around for us to risk a trip. At the time of our June trip, one of the big concerns was how much beer you were bringing with you... Apparently, they felt that if you were bringing more than a 12 pack, you were likely to be having a party or group gathering, so they set a limit of one 12 pack per car going into Baja.
We were told we would have to "prove" we had a legitimate purpose for entering Baja or we would be denied entry. We have our permanent FMMs and our SENTRI passes, which we know would help and we also brought a copy of our property lease and property tax statements. We had everything ready to show them at the initial crossing, but they didn't want to see it. Their only concern was how much beer we were bringing with us. We actually had to open the back, pull it out and show them that it was just one 12 pack. Then, about 100 yards south of the initial crossing, in the area where they do the declaration inspections and you pay the importation fees, we were stopped and asked our purpose for entering Baja. I handed them our documentation. They "kinda" looked at it, asked if we were bringing any beer and then waived us through.
At the end of that same road, another 300 yards south, where you enter the main east/west road, we were stopped again. They asked about the beer & said they needed to take our temperatures. However, they only took mine and not my wife's. At this stop there were about 5 cars in line in front of us and it took about 10 minutes to get through. We were crossing into Baja on a Sunday morning around 8:30 am. Our friends came through the same crossing around 12:00 the same day and were stuck for over 2 hours waiting to get their temperatures taken. We had another friend who crossed the following weekend and it took them 7 hours to get through all 3 check points!!!
This all took place at the Calexico-East crossing at the end of Hwy. 7. I can't say anything about the wait or procedures at the other crossings, except to say that this one is usually faster and has less traffic. And maybe to say don't expect there to be a lot of consistency between the handful of crossings. Our friend, who has had a house next to us in Baja for several years and also has his FMM & SENTRI got turned around at the Otay Mesa crossing, being told he couldn't bring a cement mixer into Baja without paying a fee. This is a cement mixer he has brought back and forth at this crossing numerous times over the years and never stopped or asked about it. He turned around, drove to the Calexico-West crossing and had no issues bringing it into Baja.
At the military checkpoint where Hwy 3 & Hwy 5 meet, we were again asked about the beer and had a non-military person dressed in what looked like a Mexican Immigration uniform approach us after the soldier finished his inspection. She asked our purpose for being in Baja and was satisfied with our answer and paperwork. I actually felt like she wouldn't have asked to see the paperwork, as she seemed a bit confused when I handed it to her. As usual, this checkpoint is one of the smoothest for us.
We've been going down to Baja several times a year for the past 20+ years and have learned to never be surprised when you're hit with some new restriction, rule, law, or an "official's" interpretation of whatever. You could go down to Baja 5 times and have 5 different experiences. You just have to roll with it & remember you are in a foreign country, even if you did just drive there. For us, it's part of what makes Baja, Baja... It's truly a beautiful place with beautiful people and we've always felt blessed to feel like it's our second home.
We haven't gotten to drive it yet, but we hear from reliable sources that Hwy 5 is now completely paved all the way to Hwy. 1, just north of LA Bay. You should be able to get to some beautiful coves & beaches within just a few hours of crossing the border. If you do go that route, be sure to stop at Coco's Corner and spend a few minutes chatting with Coco.
One last thing I'd recommend is don't risk not having all the necessary paperwork for your trip. It's just not worth the risk of being held up for hours, being fined, or being turned around. With the added checkpoints and the added precautions, you have a much better chance of being asked to produce it.
Also, it's always a good idea to check with Discover Baja before you go, as they do try as best they can to stay on top of any changes, requirements, warnings, Etc.
